Does Gary Bettman belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

It was 20 years ago today that the NHL found an obscure NBA executive and anointed him as the first ever commissioner.

Now before you start spitting in anger at the thought of this question, consider it carefully: Does Gary Bettman belong in the Hall of Fame?

All of that cursing is not going to get you anywhere, especially if there are young children around. Just consider the state of the league in 1992 and the state of the league today (disregarding the current lockout, about which reams of words have been written).

Total revenues were around $400 million and now they are more than $3 billion annually. There were 24 teams then and now there are 30. As well, the league just signed a $2 billion TV deal with NBC.

So in terms of pure revenue and growth, it’s a no brainer: Bettman’s tenure has been wildly successful. If he were a CEO with those numbers, he would be lauded as a visionary genius and be on the cover of Forbes magazine.

On the purely hockey front, Bettman has seen the game transition from a clutch and grab nightmare, where the New Jersey Devils employed the neutral zone trap into three snooze inducing Stanley Cup victories, to one where the most exciting group of young players in memory now rule the game. Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin are all superstars worthy of fans attention.

The game has never been better, faster or more hard-hitting. No longer are hockey players seen as mindless slugs, who will fight at the drop of a hat. Today they are fitness fanatics, who are in better shape than ever before.

Scott Stevens might be little more than a pylon in today’s NHL. When he was terrorizing players in the 1990s, it was mainly due to the neutral zone clogging, which saw the best players get funneled directly toward his intimidating elbows. Stevens would be a pariah in today’s league, much like such head-hunters as Raffi Torres or Matt Cooke.

There is another notch on Bettman’s belt. He has overseen a transformation of the game into a fast-paced exciting game.

The commissioner has championed the NHL’s move to the American south and west with teams in Nashville, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Carolina and Denver. Two new northern teams were also created under Bettman’s watch: Minnesota and Columbus.

This American expansion certainly has some mixed results but Dallas, Carolina, Tampa and Los Angeles all won their first Stanley Cups during his tenure in these non-traditional markets.

The growth of southern kids taking up the sport of hockey will be highlighted at the 2013 NHL draft, when Plano, Texas born Seth Jones (son of former Toronto Raptor Popeye Jones) is expected to become one of the top picks.

They are still fighting to get TV coverage on most nights, but Bettman has seen the league get some traction with major networks. He signed an infamous deal with Fox Sports (best known for the glowing puck), signed another deal with ABC and ESPN for $600 million, and is set to cash in on that massive deal with NBC Sports beginning this season.

These accomplishments have been dwarfed by the three work stoppages he has overseen, but remember Bettman is employed by the owners and therefore doesn’t do anything without their approval. He has managed to stay on for 20 years and there is no end in sight to his tenure.

While most Canadians would rather strangle their own mothers rather than see Bettman in the Hall of Fame, he has made a good case for inclusion despite his flaws.